A newly-released packaging of two Peel sessions laid down by these great daze-rockers in their prime - one in 1989 and the other in 1990. I don't think they've previously had an official release; at any rate, I hadn't heard any of these versions before. It's been a while since I really listened to Galaxie 500 but I still feel their music, and it didn't take long for the searing glory of it all to come flooding back while listening to these recordings (specifically, during the first slow-burn guitar solo in "Flowers", which leads off the 1989 set - which comes after the 1990 one on this cd). Tracking them down:
1990 session
1. "Submission". Covers were always a large part of the band's repertoire, and their take on "Ceremony" is still probably my favourite cover version of any song by any artist, ever, so I had high hopes when I saw that they'd had a go at the Sex Pistols' "Submission", but in fact it's only so-so...a bit messy and unfocused and never hits the heights that the band is capable of.
2. "Final Day". I have a soft spot for the studio version of this gentle tune, and the Peel recording has a similar charm, jingling and chiming along and blessed with a confident, sensitive vocal from Naomi.
3. "When Will You Come Home". But of course it's the reverb-treated, wracked voice of Dean Wareham that really 'makes' Galaxie 500, and he resumes lead duties with this one, the slowly unspiralling nature of the song coming through well in the live setting. (It's actually rather impressive that he's able to so closely duplicate the performances he gives on the albums.)
4. "Moonshot". And, well, given that both Neko Case and Galaxie 500 have covered her songs, obviously I need to check out this Buffy Sainte Marie chick. "Moonshot" is a plaintive tender Dean strumalong; and good, of course.
1989 session
1. "Flowers" / 2. "Blue Thunder" / 3. "Decomposing Trees" / 4. "Don't Let Our Love Go To Waste". An On Fire set, and the electric guitar is plugged-in and in full voice throughout. I like this session more than the 1990 one - listening to it is such a comforting experience, hearing these songs with which I'm so very familiar done over in style while remaining closely faithful to the studio versions. They're all good, and while "Flowers" is the most immediately striking (because it's the first), and the band rocks out in fine, ragged, climactic style on "Don't Let Our Love Go To Waste", it's a relatively muted "Blue Thunder" which is a little bit special, just because, for me, it always has been and remains the single best and most emblematic song that the band ever recorded.
Ah...without realising it, I'd missed having Galaxie 500 moments!
